Archive · 20 Aug 2026
India and Japan Deepen Maritime Security and Defence Cooperation
India and Japan held a meeting about working more closely on defence.
Rajnath Singh and Shinjiro Koizumi discussed security in the seas and the Indo-Pacific region.
They agreed that countries should not change navigation rules on their own.
India and Japan signed an agreement to organize maritime security cooperation.
Their navies may visit each other, conduct exercises and share experts.
They may also help each other with ports, repairs and other logistics.
The countries will explore building and designing naval ships together.
They also agreed to continue work on the UNICORN communications system.
Rajnath Singh bid farewell to Japan’s defence minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, with a Japanese “Arigato” and received a “Namaste” in response.
The ministers reaffirmed support for a free and open Indo-Pacific and opposed unilateral attempts to alter the status quo affecting navigation rights.
India and Japan signed a Memorandum of Arrangement establishing a framework for maritime security cooperation.
The countries will strengthen naval coordination through ship visits, joint exercises, personnel exchanges, logistical support and access to facilities.
The two sides will explore joint naval shipbuilding and design while continuing cooperation on the UNICORN communications antenna system.
- Who
- India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi.
- What
- They discussed deeper defence cooperation and signed a maritime security agreement.
- When
- Thursday, August 20.
- Where
- New Delhi, India.
- Why
- To strengthen maritime security, naval coordination and broader cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
- Meeting
- India-Japan Defence Ministers’ Meeting
- Signed agreement
- Memorandum of Arrangement on Maritime Security Cooperation
- Naval cooperation
- Mutual ship visits, joint exercises, personnel and expert exchanges, and logistical support
- Strategic position
- Support for a free and open Indo-Pacific
- Defence production
- Exploration of joint naval shipbuilding and design
- Equipment initiative
- Continued cooperation on the UNICORN integrated communications antenna system
- Future milestone
- The discussions took place ahead of the 75th anniversary of India-Japan diplomatic relations next year